Our WWE RAW results for tonight include AJ Styles going one-on-one with Gunther, Penta teams up with Dragon Lee to take on The Vision’s Austin Theory and Bronson Reed, we’ll hear from World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, and so much more!
This afternoon’s WWE RAW will take place at the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany.
WWE RAW Card
The announced card is as follows:
- AJ Styles vs. Gunther
- Penta and Dragon Lee vs. The Vision’s Bronson Reed and Austin Theory
- We’ll hear from World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk
- Newly crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY, are set to kick off the show
- Raquel Rodriguez will address her attack on Stephanie Vaquer last week
- More to be announced
WWE RAW Results:
This week’s episode of RAW kicks off with a recap of last week’s show. It was followed by your standard weekly appointment of watching multiple wrestlers walk into the building, who have matches scheduled for this afternoon’s show.
The newly crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions, IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley, make their way to the ring to speak to the WWE Universe. Ripley welcomes everyone to Monday Night Rhea. Ripley says after weeks of battling with the Kabuki Warriors, they have finally put them in their place. She puts over the fact that they are the new champions as the crowd chants, “You deserve it.”
IYO SKY says Asuka and Kairi Sane have no respect, but she and Ripley beat some respect into them. SKY says no one is ready for RHIYO. Ripley seemingly is about to declare an open challenge, but is interrupted by Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez.
Morgan says she’s just out there to congratulate them on winning the titles and tells the crowd to cheer for him. Morgan says her only problem is that those titles belong to her, declaring that she never lost her title. Liv says they can do things the easy way and hand them over, or the hard way, where she takes them back.
Everyone wants to be WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
They are interrupted by Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Bayley says she knows Liv didn’t lose the Women’s Tag Titles, but Roxanne did. Bayley notes she beat Roxanne the other week, so she believes they deserve the title shot. Ripley says they are laying down a challenge for basically anyone. Everyone starts bickering, and the Kabuki Warriors come in from the crowd and pull Rhea and IYO out of the ring.
Eventually, all four teams start brawling, which ended with Ripley and SKY standing tall.
Is AJ Styles ready for Gunther?
AJ Styles is backstage with Jackie Redmond. Styles says when he got into this business, it was all about respect. Styles says he and John Cena were never really on the same page, but they agreed on respect. AJ says Gunther has disrespected Cena week after week, and he’s going to pay. Styles declares he’s going to make Gunther tap out and calls him a bitch.
Backstage in The Judgment Day clubhouse, Liv Morgan is annoyed at Finn Balor for playing video games and not paying attention to what they did. Morgan mentions Balor’s promo last week about making things happen and questions if it was all talk. Morgan says they are making things happen, and he should do the same. Liv leaves, and Perez tells Balor she has a point and leaves as well. Balor says they just need to wait and see what he does next.
Je’Von Evans vs. Bravo Americano (w/ Los Americanos)
- The finish of the match saw Je’Von Evans hit Bravo Americano with the OG Cutter to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Je’Von Evans
After the match. Los Americanos try to attack Evans, but he escapes with his impressive acrobatic skills, making the trio look very silly.
Grade: B+
Fun opening contest. I feel like the Americano gimmick has run its course at this point. Perhaps Chad Gable’s return will be able to kickstart it and make it interesting again. But if they aren’t planning on going in that direction, perhaps it’s time to move on?
Adam Pearce isn’t in the mood tonight
There’s a confrontation backstage between General Manager Adam Pearce and Paul Heyman. Pearce makes it clear that if Bron Breakker shows up tonight looking for trouble, just send him away because he’s not in the mood. Heyman says he will deliver the message to Breakker if he decides to arrive at the venue today.
Is it clobbering time…?
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk makes his way to the ring to speak to the WWE Universe. Punk says he’s never going to get tired of being the World Champion, and he plans on holding the title forever. Punk says he knows things can change and anything can happen, and points to what happened to Cody Rhodes on SmackDown.
CM Punk believes that with the people behind him, he can do the impossible. Punk puts over the upcoming Rumble and Elimination Chamber, declaring the road to WrestleMania goes through him. Punk says Bron Breakker and The Vision are in his rearview mirror, and he looks forward to finding out who his next challenger is going to be.
This brings out Finn Balor, who says he’s not waiting for the Rumble or the Chamber, and he’s not here asking for a handout. Balor mentions that when Punk won the title, he mentioned his name as someone he wanted to face, so here he is. Punk says he did mention him, but that was two months ago, and wants to know where he’s been.
Punk makes fun of the things Balor has done of late with The Judgment Day and questions if he’s going to be facing Finn Balor or Finn Balor and The Judgment Day. CM Punk makes it clear he just went through that with The Vision, and he’s ready for that. Punk says he’s a man of his word and wants to be a fighting champion, and says they can do the match tonight.
A big World Title match is set for WWE RAW next week
Balor says it’s all about timing, and Punk won’t have to worry about Dom or JD, but he won’t be alone. Balor says he wants the match next week in his backyard in Belfast, Ireland. Punk apologizes to the fans of Germany who won’t get to see him compete tonight and then apologizes to the fans in Belfast for beating Balor next week.
We get a video package hyping tonight’s match between AJ Styles and Gunther.
Women’s Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Match: The Kabuki Warriors vs. The Judgment Day vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria
- The finish of the match saw Liv Morgan hit ObLIVion on Kairi Sane to score the pinfall victory for her team.
Winners: Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez of The Judgment Day
Grade: A-
This was a TON of fun. All six women were going for it, and the crowd ate up every move and nearfall throughout the match. It makes sense to see Liv get a shot at the titles she never lost, so I like this decision.
It’s not just her saying it…
We hear from WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, who is less than pleased that Maxxine Dupri is already getting another shot at her title. The match will take place at next week’s RAW in Belfast. Lynch might be a heel right now, but I think it would be a real uphill battle to expect the WWE Universe to boo Becky next week in Ireland.
Byron Saxton interviews Je’Von Evans during a commercial break. This has to be a rib at this point after what happened last week. Evans reflects on everything that’s happened to him at this point and calls everything a blessing, from NXT to signing with RAW. Evans says he’s not going to let anyone down.
Jackie Redmond is backstage with Alpha Academy. Maxxine Dupri says she’s not going to cry about this because winning the title proved that she belongs and believes Otis and Akira Tozawa are also set for great things. Dupri says Becky Lynch had to cheat to beat her last week, so next week she’s going to put Lynch in an ankle lock and break her ankle.
Not a smart move from Stephanie Vaquer
Michael Cole interviews Raquel Rodriguez at the entrance way. Cole says what Raquel did last week to Stephanie Vaquer took him by surprise, and he wants to know why she did it. Raquel says she remembers being told to be patient, and she would get a shot at the title, but she’s tired of waiting.
Rodriguez says people can feel sorry for Vaquer, but she’ll keep coming after her until she gets what she wants. This brings out Stephanie Vaquer in the walking boot, surrounded by referees and officials to keep the two women separated.
Vaquer gets in the camera and says she won’t let this injury stop her, and tells Rodriguez to come get it. And come get it, she did as Rodriguez charges in and lays out Vaquer yet again.
Anyone can get it… YEET!
Backstage, Jey Uso is on his phone and is greeted by the Alpha Academy, who make it clear they want a shot at the World Tag Team Titles. Jey at first didn’t want to do it, but once he realized they were serious, he was down to give them a title shot.
Bronson Reed and Austin Theory (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Dragon Lee and Penta
- The finish of the match saw Bron Breakker get involved, spearing Dragon Lee at ringside, leading to a disqualification.
Winners: Penta and Dragon Lee
After the match, Adam Pearce comes to ringside and demands that Breakker leave. As they are arguing, Bronson Reed hits Penta with a Tsunami. Pearce gets in the ring and screams at Reed as Breakker proceeds to hit Lee with another spear.
Adam Pearce gets in Breakker’s face, and Bron physically assaults Pearce, tossing him into the corner turnbuckle and screaming in his face, questioning what he’s going to do to him as Paul Heyman tries to pull him off and cool things down. Pearce is livid and flipping out as The Vision goes backstage.
Grade: B
The match itself was fine; the aftermath is the talking point. Adam Pearce needs to grow a spine and either suspend or fire Bron Breakker. Because if he doesn’t, he basically tells the entire RAW roster they can do whatever they want and walk all over him.
Speak of the devil…
Backstage, Adam Pearce catches up to Bron Breakker and does exactly what I said he should do and indefinitely suspends Breakker. Paul Heyman says Pearce made a big mistake and brings up the fact that he put his hands on Breakker first.
A very weird vignette plays of a bunch of celebrities pitching matches they want to be in at WrestleMania to Triple H. You can check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Gunther is backstage with Jackie Redmond. Gunther says AJ Styles is the one who has been disrespectful to him. The Ring General says AJ shouldn’t worry about what he’s done to Cena; he should be worried about what will happen after the bell rings.
Gunther vs. AJ Styles
- The finish of the match saw Gunther tap out to AJ Styles’ Calf Crusher, but the referee couldn’t see it. Styles let go, thinking that he had won, and the referee said the match must continue. Gunther hit Styles with a low blow behind the referee’s back and then hit him with a powerbomb to score the pinfall victory.
Winner: Gunther
Grade: A-
Gunther celebrates his victory in the aisle, declaring he’s the greatest wrestler in the company as WWE RAW goes off the air.
WWE RAW Review:
I feel like this episode of RAW was a definite step up from last week’s show. I don’t think it was as good as Friday’s SmackDown, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. As we approach the road to WrestleMania, every single episode of RAW and SmackDown should matter.
No shows should feel like a throwaway episode, and that should be WWE’s goal over the next several months. I feel like WWE accomplished that goal tonight with RAW. I feel like if you missed it, you’re gonna want to catch up on the things you missed out on tonight to prepare for next week’s show.
The main event between Gunther and Styles was a great match. The finish was okay. I’m not sure I loved it, but I get what they were going for. It didn’t take away from the match in my opinion.
Grade: B+
READ MORE: Update On WWE’s Plans For WrestleMania 42 — Report
What did you think of today’s episode of WWE RAW? What was your favorite match or segment? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
